$$$$$$$$
$$$$ $$$$
$$ $$
$ $
$ $
$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
$$ $$
$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
#@&@$/~,.. SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... AND A GIFT SHOP. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. CONSIDERED POOR. ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... SOME ARE SHATTERED. ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. $$ ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... $$ $$ ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... $$ $$ ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. $$ ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... LIT FROM BEHIND. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. $$ ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... $$ $$ ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... $$ $$ ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. $$ ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... FLOOR. ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. BECOME STILL. .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... $$ ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... $$ $$ ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ~~~~~~~ $ $ ~~~~~~~ ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. $$ $$ ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. $$ .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ..,~/$@&@#
##@&@$/~,. THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK .,~/$@&@##
#@&@$/~,.. GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ..,~/$@&@#
@&@$/~,... I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ...,~/$@&@
&@$/~,.... THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ....,~/$@&
@&@$/~,... ...,~/$@&@
#@&@$/~,.. I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ..,~/$@&@#
$$
$$ $$
$ $
$$ $$
$$